Texas Politics and Minorities and Government

Home , Ann Richards, Kay Bailey Hutchison

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Texas Politics Why It Matters Now 3 Today, minority Texans have a strong voice in Texas politics and Minorities and government. TERMS & NAMES OBJECTIVES MAIN IDEA activist, Heman Sweatt, James 1. Trace the civil rights progress of minori- From the 1960s to the end of the Farmer, Jr., Barbara Jordan, ties in Texas in the twentieth century. twentieth century, the growing civil impeachment resolutions, 2. Trace the equal rights progress of women rights movement had a great effect Sarah Hughes, Ann Richards in Texas in the twentieth century. on Texas. Minorities—particularly Kay Bailey Hutchison 3. Identify the leadership qualities of African Americans, Hispanics, and elected leaders of Texas. women—finally won the right to be represented in both state and national political arenas.

As the political climate in Texas began to change, doors finally began to open for Texas minorities. Houston native Barbara Jordan was one of the first to take advantage of these opportunities. After serving in the Texas Senate, Jordan won a seat in the U.S. Congress. When the House Judiciary Committee held televised hearings to decide whether to impeach President Richard M. Nixon, she inspired millions of viewers with her patriotism, intelligence, and passion for justice. ‘We, the people.’ I felt for many years that somehow George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in ‘We, the people.’ My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the [misuse] and the destruction of the Constitution. Barbara Jordan, Nixon impeachment hearing, 1974

U.S. representative In this section, you will read about the political changes that finally Barbara Jordan allowed Jordan and other minorities to participate in Texas politics.

New Players in Public Affairs After World War II, minority groups began to demand to be treated activist a person who takes direct equally under the law. Civil rights activists such as Heman Sweatt and action to support a political cause James Farmer, Jr., became pioneers in the battle to end segregation. Their actions led to new laws that outlawed discrimination in any form. African Americans, Hispanics, women, and other minorities could no longer be shut out of politics. Soon minorities held important seats in local and state government, including the Texas legislature.

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Barbara Jordan with fellow senators, 1960s Senators discussing a bill, 2001

MINORITIES IN GOVERNMENT When Voting Rights Act helped give minority voters a voice. Barbara Jordan was elected in 1966, she was the only In addition, the federal courts ordered Texas to redraw woman and the only person of color in the Texas senate. its voting districts to give minorities equal representation For many years only white males had served as judges, at all levels of government. These changes allowed school board members, mayors, city council members, minorities to become much more active in state and state legislators, and other political leaders. Minority national politics. In 2000 Anglo Americans were barely a groups and women had to depend on Anglo American majority in Texas. ● How do you think the percentage of politicians to address any issues on their behalf. The women and minorities may change by 2020?

Barbara Jordan Leads the Way In the 1960s African American lawyer Barbara Jordan became deter- mined to help poor people in her home city of Houston. After two impeachment resolutions a vote taken to decide whether to unsuccessful campaigns for office, she finally was elected to the Texas hold a trial to remove a govern- Senate in 1966. With this victory, Jordan became the first African ment official from office American to serve in the state senate in almost a century. A few years later, Jordan set her sights on the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1973 she became the first African American woman from the South ever to serve in the U.S. Congress. A gifted speaker and respected leader, Jordan gained recognition around the country by serving on the committee that brought impeachment resolutions against President Nixon. She also was asked to give the keynote speech, or main To Mathematics address, at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. In so doing, she In 1887 Hispanics accounted became the first woman ever to give this important address. for only 4 percent of the state’s By the end of the twentieth century, Barbara Jordan’s pioneering population. However, as jobs became available in Texas, efforts had inspired many other minorities to seek national office. In Mexican and Latin American Texas alone, two African American women followed in her footsteps. immigrants began moving Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas and Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston north. Less than 100 years both won seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. later, Hispanics made up about one-fifth of the state’s population. According to the 2000 Women in the Political Arena census, there were 6,669,666 Hispanics living in Texas. ● If Other Texas women also made great strides in politics. They served the total population of Texas in as school board members, mayors, state legislators, and judges. Sarah 2000 was 20,851,820, what Hughes served in the Texas legislature and as a district judge even before percent of the population was the law allowed women to serve on juries. Later, she became the first Hispanic? woman to be appointed as federal judge in Texas.

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TEXAS LEGISLATORS BY ETHNICITY AND GENDER, 2001 120 30 100 25 80 20 60 15 40 10 Number of 20 xas Senators 5 Te Representatives Number of Texas Number of 0 0 Male Male Female Female

African American Anglo American African American Anglo American Hispanic American Hispanic American ▲ By 2001 many women and minorities had been elected to the Texas legislature. ● Which groups have the fewest representatives? Which have the most?

By the 1980s women were finally being elected to key statewide offices. In 1982 Ann Richards was elected state treasurer, becoming the first woman in 50 years to win a statewide office. She delivered the ▲ In the 1970s candidates for office included African Americans Barbara keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. In 1990 Jordan, Mickey Leland, Craig she became Texas’s second female governor. Washington, and Andrew Jefferson; In 1993 Kay Bailey Hutchison joined the U.S. Senate, becoming the Mexican American Robert Barnstone; and female candidates Jordan and first Texas woman to serve in that body. Before reaching this post, Frances Farenthold. ● What changes Hutchison had served in the Texas legislature and as state treasurer. Like allowed more minority and female candidates to be elected than ever Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, and other leaders, Kay Bailey Hutchison before in Texas? serves as a role model not just for Texas women but for women across the United States.

3 Terms & Names Organizing Information Critical Thinking Which do they demon- Identify: Use a chart like the one 1. Since the 1960s, more strate? Be specific. • activist shown to list Texas minority people from minority A Real-Life Story • Heman Sweatt leaders who became pio- groups have begun partici- • James Farmer, Jr. neers in state and national pating in government. How Review A Real-Life Story on • impeachment government. Write the do you think this has af- page 530. Why do you think resolutions names of these pioneers in fected Texas and federal Jordan felt she had been left • Sarah Hughes each row. laws? out of the U.S. Constitution? • Ann Richards What do you think changed TEXAS MINORITIES IN OFFICE 2. How has the role of Texas • Barbara Jordan women in the govern- her mind and made her feel Governor’s Office included? Write your answers • Kay Bailey Texas Senate ment changed over time? in your Texas Notebook. Hutchison State Treasury Provide examples. Texas Courts 3. What leadership qualities U.S. House of Representatives do you think elected offi- U.S. Senate cials in Texas should have? Go to www.celebratingtexas.com ACTIVITY to research the Activity topic. African Americans, Hispanics, and women are not the only Texas minorities in politics. Research the Citizenship life of a Texas leader from another minority group. Give a two-minute presentation on the person.

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